Skechers Walkathon Mumbai brings Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday together for fitness

Skechers Walkathon Mumbai returned for its sixth edition with a simple proposition movement should feel joyful, social and accessible. The event brought more than nine thousand participants to routes around Inorbit Mall in Malad, with distances from three to ten kilometres and an atmosphere that felt more like a city wide morning festival than a competitive race.

Brand ambassadors Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday joined the walk, adding star power but also emphasising the idea that everyday fitness does not need professional gear or intense training plans. A comfortable pair of shoes, a safe route and company are often enough to get people started.

How Skechers Walkathon Mumbai builds a community around walking

The Walkathon is designed as an open invitation rather than an elite sports event. Families, friend groups, children and older walkers all share the same space, choosing distances that match their comfort level. The focus is on consistency and enjoyment rather than timing.

Skechers used the event to spotlight its Go Walk range, part of its comfort led footwear portfolio. Instead of a traditional product launch, the shoes appear in their natural habitat on actual walkers navigating real pavements. That context reinforces the brand promise of all day comfort better than any static billboard.

Routes around Inorbit Mall give organisers access to parking, restrooms and food options, while allowing walkers to experience familiar neighbourhood streets in a new light. For many participants, it is a rare chance to move through the city early in the day with a crowd that is there purely for health and fun.

Why partners matter to the Skechers Walkathon story

The event is held in collaboration with GoSports Foundation, linking recreational fitness with support for emerging athletes. Part of the message is that an active nation requires both everyday walkers and high performance competitors and that brands can help power both.

Rahul Vira, chief executive for Skechers South Asia, described the sixth Walkathon as a vibrant celebration of fitness and purpose. He said watching thousands of people come together reaffirmed the strong passion that exists for active and meaningful initiatives and highlighted how the event bridges sports, entertainment and daily exercise.

For GoSports Foundation, the association provides visibility and funding for its mission to back promising athletes across disciplines. Managing trustee Nandan Kamath emphasised that Skechers support has powered athlete journeys and turned shared commitments to fitness and excellence into concrete programmes.

What do Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday bring to the Walkathon

Kartik Aaryan, who features in campaigns for Skechers hands free slip in and Cozy Fit ranges, called the Walkathon an inspiring experience and his first time participating in such an event. He said he was moved by the mix of ages and backgrounds walking together for fitness, enjoyment and shared spirit and expressed pride in supporting an initiative that nurtures the next generation of athletes.

Ananya Panday echoed that sentiment, describing the event as energetic and inclusive. She highlighted how seeing families, groups of friends and children walking side by side underlined that staying active does not always need to be intense. It can be a social activity grounded in joy and community.

Their presence helps the brand connect with younger audiences and pop culture fans, but the tone of their comments keeps the focus on participants rather than celebrity.

Why walking remains a powerful fitness entry point

In a fitness culture often dominated by images of extreme workouts, marathons and heavy gym routines, the Skechers Walkathon Mumbai offers a reminder that walking still sits at the heart of sustainable health. It requires minimal equipment, can be adapted to different fitness levels and fits into busy daily schedules.

By building an event that is large enough to feel special yet relaxed enough for first timers, Skechers is positioning walking as a lifestyle choice, not a once a year resolution. The Walkathon format also makes it easier for people to bring friends and family along, increasing the likelihood that the habit will stick.

Skechers Walkathon Mumbai shows how a footwear brand can move beyond product communication to create a living community around movement. With more than nine thousand participants, support from GoSports Foundation and the presence of brand ambassadors Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday, the sixth edition demonstrated that fitness can be inclusive, fun and rooted in everyday life. For Skechers, the event reinforces its comfort led positioning. For the city, it offers a hopeful picture of what a Sunday morning can look like when people choose to walk together.

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